Shavuot (Shavu’ot)

Shavuot is the second of the three major festivals with historical and agricultural importance (the other two are Passover and Sukkot.)

Shavuot is the Festival of Weeks and honors the giving of Our Torah at Mount Sinai. The holiday is first mentioned in the torah “You shall count seven weeks…..) Deut 16:9-11. It also marks the first fruits being harvested and brought to the temple. Shavuot is not tied to a specific calendar date, but rather to counting from Passover.

During the period from Passover to Shavuot (49 days or 7 full weeks), we count each of the days from the second day of Passover to the day before Shavuout; this is also known as the counting of the Omer. The counting reminds us of the connection between the holidays; Passover freed us from bondage (physically), but the giving of the Torah on Shavuot redeemed us spiritually from our bondage to immortality and idolatry.

Significance: Remembers the giving of the Torah; also a harvest festival
Observances: Study Torah